Sanitary drinking appliance.



R. E. HOOPER SANITARY DRINKING APPLIANCE.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

REBECGA E. HOOPER, OF HALF MOON BAY, CALIFORNIA.

SANITARY DRINKING APPLIANCE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RnBEooA E. Hoornn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Half Moon Bay, in the county of San Mateo and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sanitary Drinking Ap liances, of which the following is a speci 'cation.

The present invention is designed for use more particularly in connection with public schools, railways, places of amusements, and in fact in all establishments of a public nature or for general assemblage; the object being the production of an individual drinking vessel of such slight value as to permit of the destruction thereof after having been once used, and by such destruction provid ing against the renewed use thereof and the possible spread of disease, which results where' the vessel is repeatedly utilized and more especially so where only one vessel is used in common between a number of individuals, as in the case of children within the public schools.

To comprehend the invention reference should be had to the accompanying sheet of drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a perspective view of the improved drinking vessel. Fig. 2 is a similar view illustrating a plurality of said cups nestled or telescoped one within another, and held within an elastic or flexible holder forming a portion of a supporting bracket.

In the drawings, the numeral 1 is used to desi nate one of the drinking vessels, preferab ly in the form of a conically shaped cylinder, formed of repared paper or other material capable of holding liquids. The cup is provlded at its tapered end with an extension 2, which forms a finger piece by which to separate the lowermost cup from a stack of nestled cups held within an elastic or flexible holder 3, in the present case the said holder constitutin a spring ring secured to the outer end 0 a bracket 4 attached to and projecting from a wall at a oint'adjacent a reservo1r containing a supp y of drinking water. For school purposes, one or more stacks of nestled cups 1s provided which contain a sufficient number of cups for the scholars attending. These nestled cups are placed within the spring holder 3, the finger piece 2 of only the lowermost cup of the stack being exposed. As a cup is desired for use in the Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 25, 1910.

Patented Dec. 13, 1910.

Serial No. 557,350.

securing of a drink, the scholar grasps the finger piece 2 and exerts a slight downwardly pulling strain thereon, sufficient to withdraw the lowermost cup of the stack of nestled cups from within the elastic holder 3. The cup slips freely from the stack and when removed another cup is ex posed to View, which in turn is embraced by the elastic or flexible holder 3, and positioned to be removed or withdrawn by another scholar. The nestled cups of the stack of cups are thus successively exposed to view, and a fresh or unused cup provided for each scholar or person desiring a drink. Inasmuch as the cups are formed of prepared paper or other inexpensive material, the cost thereof is only nominal, so much so that after being once used the cup is thrown away or destroyed so as not to be again used for drinking purposes. In fact, where employed in connection with schools, the scholars should be instructed to destroy the drinking vessel after having used the same. When used in' public places, instructions to such effect may be printed on each cup, or the notice otherwise displayed. By thus providing a fresh or unused cup for each person desiring a drink, the spread of disease from one person to another is prevented, which is of the utmost importance in the case of school children. A perfect sanitary drinking appliance is thus provided for persons accustomed to drink from public places, but more particularly for those attending schools, essentially the younger scholars.

The use of the described invention will tend greatly to decrease the spread of sickness in the public schools and to dispense with the common drinking cup now employed in the majority of such schools, and I that is, formed with a closed top 5.

The purpose of this is to prevent dirt settling and accumulating Within the upper cup of the series, thus providing against the user of the last cup securing an unsanitary drinking vessel.

As the stack of drinking cups or vessels is consumed, the same is replaced by a fresh stack supplied by the person whose duty it is to look after the same.

The invention While being simple in character nevertheless supplies a want long felt, at least in connection with schools and public places generally, and strongly recommends itself to those familiar with the spread of diseases in the public schools. Again, the use of the described invention dispenses with the necessity of the scholars providing themselves with individual drinklng cups, which they are urged to do by the principal and teachers of the schools and which, at best, only partly serves the desired purpose, and besides only a small proportion of the attending pupils comply with such request and even those who do permit the other children to use their drinking cups.

While the vessel is claimed as being composed of paper, I do not wish to be understood as confining the same thereto, inasmuch as any suitable character of material may be employed.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent is A sanitary drinking appliance for schools and public places, the same comprising a column of nested cups each cup of the series being provided with a finger extension, and a support for said series of cups frictionally and yleldingly embracing the lowermost cup of the series.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

REBEOCA E. HOOPER.

Witnesses:

SARAH M. HOOPER, JENNIE A. BROOKE. 

